5 ways to find cheap flights to London

Are you planning a trip to England’s capital? You might be touring the sights, catching up with friends, or flying in for business. Whatever your intentions, you’ll want to find the cheapest travel possible for one of the most expensive cities in the world.

Finding cheap flights can be easier said than done, of course. But there are certain tips and tricks that could bump down the cost of your tickets and give you extra spending money.

Read up on five tried-and-tested hacks below so you can board that plane feeling smug.

Check the cheapest days to fly

Now, this tip doesn’t work if you have to stick to specific travel dates. But if your schedule is more flexible, it pays to check the cheapest days to fly.

Flying during the week is generally cheaper than the weekend due to lower demand. Many flight providers offer a month or calendar view of travel options, so you can quickly compare instead of searching over and over.

Your flight time makes a difference too. Early or late flights are usually cheaper as they’re less popular – just think about whether you can still make it to and from airports.

Use flight search engines

You’d be forgiven for thinking that going direct to an airline would get you the best prices. Or perhaps you simply prefer certain providers. But if you’re willing to shop around, search engines like Skyscanner often show the best deals available.

Other sites like Expedia offer flight and hotel bundles, which could help you kill two birds with one stone.

Install a virtual private network (VPN)

VPNs are great for protecting your identity and data online. You can download specific versions for your device too, like a VPN for Android or iPhone. But they can also help you find cheaper flights by masking your location.

This is because various factors cause price differences from country to country, such as:

• Destination popularity in certain countries
• The wealth of a country
• Significant domestic dates such as bank holidays
• The home countries of airlines

Check different London airports

Heathrow Airport is London – and, indeed, the UK’s – largest and busiest airport. But that doesn’t mean it’s the cheapest. You could save money by flying into Gatwick or Stansted instead, for example.

Just check the travel costs for getting into London from your airport of choice. If Heathrow flights are only slightly costlier and the airport is much closer to your final destination, you’d be best off sticking with it.

Add a connection

This is another tip that depends on the amount of time you have, as well as your willingness to extend your trip. But adding a connection or even a stopover is likely to slash your flight price. You could enjoy more of an adventure if it gives you time to explore two places rather than one too.

Have you been missing out on any of these money-saving tips?